Envelope-sealing machine



A ril 27 1926. 1,582,248

J. H. BYERLEYY.

ENVELOPE SEALING MACHINE Filed July 18 1923 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 A ril 27 1926. 1,582,248

. J. -.H. BYERLEY ENYELOPE SEALING MACHINE Filed July 18. 192 BSheets-Sheet 2 i qb W mg g A gyJ April 27 ,1926. 1,582,248

J. H. BYERLEY ENVELOPE SEALING MACHINE Filed July 18 1923 8 Sheets-Sheet b YmwUfi. I M M w M I E M Mr fl N 7 i L L 2/... 1M] Mm v April 1926-."

M b ab H x TWP will Q h April 27 1926; 1,582,248

J; H. BYERLEY G MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 1,582,248 J. H. BYERLEY ENVELOPE SEALING MACHINE April 27 1926;

Filed July 18. 1923 8 5 s 6 April 27', 1926. 1,582,248

J- H. BYERLEY ENVELOPE SEALING MACHINE Filed July 18- 1923 8 Sheegts-Sheet 8 "III W Ay (9 i 0mg y .14??? Patented Apr. 27, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

JOSIAH H. BYERLEY, F RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA.

ENVELOPE-SEALIN G MACHIHE.

Application filed July 18, 1923.. Serial No. 652,231.

10 machines, and a purpose of my invention is the provision of a comparatively simple and inexpensive machine for sealing envelopes which includes power operated means for successively moistening the flaps of en vclopes and subsequently sealing the envelopes by pressing the flaps to closed position while the adhesive material'of the flaps is moist. p

My envelope sealing machine is designed to feed the envelopes in packson an inclined magazine with the envelopes resting on the bottom edge so that there is no" danger of the contents falling out. The rotary arm engages the envelopes in succession by catching underneath the flap and lifting each envelope in succession on to a tilting platform having spaced plates to allow the flap to hang downwardly; In this position the contents cannot fall out of the envelopes. The platform is then slightly tilted bringing the flap into contactwith a moistening roller and 1 this roller by its engagement with the flap nioistens the glue. The platform then tilts upwardly and on the succeeding movement of the lifting arm is forced between the pivotally mounted presser plates to glue the flap to the body of the envelope and from thence these-aled envelopes are dropped by 4 gravity into a receptacle.

describe only one form of envelope sealing mach-me embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modi fications may be made herein without de-' parting from the spirit of the invent1on Fig. 3 is a view showing in side elevation the machine shown in the preceding views,

carrying platform and the adJacent Although I have herein shown and will and Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the opposite side of the machine.

Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive are sectional views taken on the line5-5 of Fig. 1 showing the various positions which the movable elements of the machine occupy during the operation of the machine.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view showing another position of the envelope carrying device shown inFigs. 5 to 8.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detailed view showing in top plan the carrying device comprised in theinachine, the wall and a cam being shown in section, the view being taken on the line 1010 of Fig. Band looking downwardly as indicated by the arrows.

. F ig. 11 is a plan view ofthe envelope mechanism comprised in the machine.

Similar reference characters refer to si1nilar parts in each of the several views.

Referring specifically to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 my invention in its present embodiment is shown'as C0l11 prising a frame including side walls 15 and 16 rigidly held in spaced relationby cross bars 17. An envelope supplying magazine is arranged at one end of the frame between the walls 15 and 16, and this magazine in cludes a bottom plate 18 provided with slots 19 to receive fastening members 20 for adjustably sustaining side walls 21 upon the bottom wall. so as to accommodate envelopes of various lengths. This magazine is inclined downwardly and inwardly toward the frame with its inner end provided with a supporting flange 22 (Fig. 5) against which latter the envelopes are held in stacked relation by means of a follower 23;

A receptacle or magazine 24 is adapted to receive the envelopes after they have been sealed, and this magazine is likewise provided with adjustable sides 25 to accommodate envelopes of various lengths, and the sides are slotted, as indicated at 26, to facilitate the removal of the envelopes fr m the magazine.

As clearly shown in Fig. 5, a moistening device is arranged between the side walls 15 and 16, and this device in the present instance comprises a tank 27 containing water in which a roller 28 is adapted to be partly submerged. The roller is journaled in the tank so that a portion of its periphery projects above the tank for engagement with the flap of an envelope. This roller is provided with a pulley 29 (Fig. 2) operatively connected to a similar pulley 30 by a belt 31. The pulley 30 is fixed to a shaft 32 suitably journaled in the side walls l5 and l5- andhaving one end projecting beyond the frame and provided with a crank 33 by which the shaft may be rotated. It is, ofcourse, understood that shaft 32 may be driven by a motor'or other suitable means without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

As shown in Fig. 5, an arm 34 is fixed to the sliaft 32- betweenthe sidewalls 15 and 16-and' adjacent the former, as clearly shown in Fig.2a This arm 34L is providedwith a right angular extension 35 upon which is sustained-an envelope carrying device com prising, as illustrated-to advantage in Figs. 10 and 11, a pair of shafts36 and 37,journaled inbearings 3Sfixed to theext'ension 35, with theshaft 36 provided with a plate ortongue- 39, and a shaft 37 with a pair of V-shaped plates or tongues 40. The left hand ends of theshafts 36 and 37 are provided with cranks eland 42, respectively, carrying rollers 43 and 44, respectively.

These rollers 43 and 44-. are adapted/cov engage cams and. are urged.- into engagement with such cams by means of springs-4:5v and 46, respectively, secured to the extension 35 andto the shafts 36 and 37 inthe manner clearlyshown in Fig. 10. lhe spring .45 is considerablystronger than the springLG for the purposehereinafter described.

The camsengaged by the rollers-43 and 4-4 are illustrated I to advantage in Fig. 5

wherein itwill be seen that a cam is pro-- vided havinga: substantially semi-circular curved portion 47 and linear portion 48, and. a second curved portion: 49. Arranged between the curved portions 457 and 49 is.an other team having a curved intermediate portion 50, and an upwardly extendingv cam isalso: provided .upon whichithe roller: 4H is adapted. to work. This cam: has i a. symmetrically curved intermediate portion 53 F and abruptly curved: terminalhportions 5i and Allof the-cams are in theform of metal strips secured to the inner side of-the wall 15 of the frame and in substantially encircling relation to the moistening devi ce.

Asshownin land 5, a. shaft 56 is journaled in-theside plates 15 and 16, and

fixed to this shaft is apair of armsterminal lipp51and a terminal portion 52. A third 11 to normally urge the members 62 and 66 to these positions.

A downward movement of the platform- 58 toward the roller 28, and the operation of the gripp l'ig plate and the lever (56 in a fixed sequence is effectedthrougluthe medium of an arm 72 (Figs. 1 and 3) fixed totheshaft 56 and carrying a roller 73 which is adapted to engage the periphery of a cam 74- fixed to the shaft 32.

For pressing the envelope flaps after they have been moistened and to thus effectively seal the envelopes, l provide a pressing device comprising a. pair of presser plates 7 5 and 76 fixed to shafts 77 and 78, respectively,

journaled in the side plates 15 and 16.-

These plates are adapted to move from the POSItIOD'ShOXVH in Fig. 7 to the position shown in F 5, and to effect such movement the following mechanism is provided: As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the shaftT'Z is provided with an arm 79 which is connected to a bell crank lever 80 pivoted at the point 'indicated at 81 and provided with a roller 82 which bears on the periphery of a cam 83 fixed to the shaft 32. 7 The shaft 78 (Fig. 4)

carries an arm 84c-provided with a roller 85 which bears against the periphery of a cam 86 fixed to the shaft 32. The plates 75 and 76 are normally urged to the positions shown in Fig. 7 -wherein it will be seen that the plate 75 constitutes in effect a continuation of'a stationary plate 87 fixed between the walls 15 and'l6, as clearly shown in Fig. 7 Springs 88 and-89 are associated witlrthe shafts 'T'Yfand'TS for urging. the plates to these positions. As the result of such urging the rollers 82 and 85 are maintained inengagement with the peripheries of the cams S3 and 86 so that the cams serve-to actuate the plates as will be understood.

The operation of the entire machine is as follows: The envelope supplying magazine is filled with envelopes arranged so as to have their flaps uppermostand atthe machine side of the envelope; As themagazine is inclined the follower 23 serves to constantly urge the envelopes to the inner end of-the magazine and thus at all times present the innermost envelope with its-flap extended, as clearly shown in-Fig. 5. \Vith the envelope carrying device in the position shown in Fig. 5, upward movement of the latter-is effected by actuating the arm 34 through the shaft 32. In this position of the carrying device-the roller 43 engages the curved eam portion 47; and the roller 44- the curved 1ca1-n-- portion-53;' so th aethe-tongues-"39 andAO are held in spaced" "relation, Wii'll'li the tongue 39arranged to engage-the innermost envelope' b eneath' is flap so that asthe arm 34 moves upwardly, the envelope will be lifted" from :the n'iagazinev- As firearm--34 "pro ceedsupwardly, the'to'ngues 89 and 1G move toward 5 each other and intogripping rela tion with res-pect' to the flap ofthe envelope;

This movement of the tongues -is effected by virtue of {thetaot that the=reller43 passesonto the linear earn portion 4-8, While theroller 4 1- rid-es' over" and 0th of *the *curved" cam: portion 54, thus allowing the tongue; 40

to respond: to the action ot'the'springuio.

Continued movement of the arnr televates the" carrying device together With the envelope, and under the guidaneeot theeurved f cam port-ion 49,1 thetongne 39 isn'iarntained' 1n"gripp1ng relation with respect to the tongne 49 so as to carry the envelope on to the platform" 58, 1thelng innlerstood that "the tongues 39 and 40 pass *between theplates of theplatform. With the carrying device and the envelope noW in the position 's-hm in- 1 in- Fig. .6; the enveloperepose'supon the plates ofthe platferniso thatup'on continned movement of the'carrying device; the roller 43 rides oil of the curved" oanr portion 1 thus nlloW-i'ng the tongue w under the action of the spring 45 to'move 'mW-ardly toward 3 the shaft 32 therebyreleasingthe flap. of the envelope se-that the latter is now flat, upon the platlorniw The envelope is maintained upon the platform by the grip ping arm GQWvhieh is anovedte gripping po-: sition; as shown in 7,-loy the roller 6% disengaging theplate upon doWnWai -d movement 013' the yoke sons to allow the V The I down-Ward inove'ment ot the yoke :59 occurs spring; '-to-" actuate the shaft 601 with downward movement 01 "the arms "57',

the latter being "actuated the shaft 56 through "the medium of the arm 72 and :the

cam 74; With suchi doa vnavard movement of the-yoke '59, a enn-liar movenrlent i s lnlpal il'ld to thelever-66"as its-r'ollerGB disengages the cam 69; thelever IlOW- occupying =the posi- 1 tion shown 1n-'- Fig. 7. During downward? movement of the ar1ns'57, the arin 234 com tin-nee to rotate-thereby causing the roller 43 to ride off" of thecam-portione) and to immediately engage the cam: portion 151 and subsequently the pain portion 501 Under-the I action of these cant portions-the: tongue 39 is swung inwardly and in -so-'doingthe'en# velope flap is unfolded oeextended to the positiomslmwn inFiga F. Tl1e tongue 39 moves (l0WIIWHL'Cily Wli3l1 tliHlOWBlfiHg oi the platform so thatthe envelope: flap is maintained in extended position forv moisteningo. Continued movement i otby the roller 28; the arm 34 causes the-tongue 39 to disengage the envelope flap so U18011'"C011l7i1*1l18(l lowering of the "platform and lever 66, the

29;as clearlysheW-n in Fig; 8. As theroller is constantly rotating,

it will be olear that 1 a moisening of the envelope fiap is-noev ova the rolleriinto contact a L race at the: cant portiom l7,- as illustrated ini Fig 2 9. -During this inoven'ient, the shaft isn'ioved toi thrust the roller I 44 ante engagenient I With the cam port-lon 5'5, and V w'th iurtl ieri movement 01 the arm. 34, thetoi'igues fi andAiO arefinalliy returned to the normallp'esition :shown-in1 Fig: '5.

During: titiS lDOVGlllQilh of theualunx sti l, the: arms Ware-elevated through the med-nun otthe cane- 88' so as ;to return the platform =58 to the elevated position shown inlaFig'. .63

With the re'tei ni'iot the platform, .the r-yohe 59 is likewise elevatednso. as to move the gripping- "arm,62t';and-the:-leveri66 back to I normal position." Assoonfas the-lever 66* c'i-isengages -tl'ie flap of theienvelopq.thelflap;

returns to-partly folded position; as -shown 111 Fig.

the platter-1115158 is inathe elevated T Blli10113'l1l1'6 arm in itsrcontinued move-- inent'elevatesthe tongues-39 and e lO to engage the flap of the second envelope and ele-- veto the eng'elope to the platforms 58," as shown: an: Fig: 6: As this second" envelope moves a on to the platform; the stonguesweO engage the edge of: the first envelope and ultnnately pro ectthefirst EDVSlGPBfflOHL:

the p'latforinw and downwardly on to the a plate 8?: As then-plate 8?:isinolinedQ-the j envelope will slide downwardly onto the; lower pressing plate T5 Whenthe ca1ns*83 and will: operate to 'inove the pressing plates'teward each other; is-shown in 5, therebypressingxtheflap to closed: position and effecting.

velope. 1 Continued allows the pressing plates to remain in this the sealing of: the eninov'einenti of the cams pressing position ifOl a period sufiieient t0-- msure' ot the eii'eetive sealing of the envelop'ewvhen theplates are returned to normal position thereby: releasing the envelopeand allowing :the latter to drop into the re-'- eeiving magazine 24. It will be understood that duringthis sealing. operation the second envelope i'sinanipulated by the levers, tongues and platform to moistenethe flap,

thereot in the same zmanner asthefirst envelope, and this second 'e11velope=1s finallv returned toth'e platform and ultimately delivered'tothe pressing plates in the same 1n anner; as the first envelope.

From the foregoing operation, it Wlll beclear that the machine continuously operates to singly remove envelopes from the supply magazine and to successively moisten and seal the fiaps thereof, and to deliver such sealed envelopes to the receiving niaga zine 2%.

An important feature of my invention is the automatic delivery of the envelopes to the discharge end of the supply magazine by means of inclining the magazine and providing the rolling follower, the latter serving to maintain the envelopes in vertical position so that the foremost envelope presents its flap into engaging relation with respect to the tongue 39.

Another important feature of my invention is the provision of an envelope sealing machine which utilizes the flaps of the envelopes to feed the latter to the moistening device so that irrespective of the thickness of the envelopes, a positive feeding of the envelopes to the platform is effected.

It will be noted that the envelopes fed in the feeding magazine rest on their lower edge so that there is no danger of the contents dropping out and when positioned on the tilting platform 58 the contents will still be retained in the envelope due to the position shown in Fig. 5. As this platform is depressed as shownin Figs. 7 and 8, the gripping plate 62 presses the envelope to prevent the contents slipping out, as the flap is bent back during the feeding shown in Fig. 6, the contents are held in position while the envelope passes between the presser plates 7 5 and 76 and thereby sealed. Hence from start to finish there is no danger of any of the contents, no matter how loosely positioned in the envelope or what enclosures may be inserted, slipping out and becoming lost. Therefore my machine is adapted to seal the envelopes for many commercial purposes for which the usual type are unsuited.

What I claim is:

1. An envelope sealing machine comprising in combination a feeding magazine adapted to feed the envelopes on their lower edge with their flaps extending forwardly, a platform above the magazine, means to elevate the envelopes to said platform, a dampening device, means to bring the dampening device and the envelope flap into engagement, means to discharge the envelope from the platform and sealing means below the platform to press the flap. against the envelope.

2. An envelope sealing machine comprising in combination a feeding magazine adapted to feed the envelopes on their lower edge with the flaps extending forwardly of each envelope, a shifting platform above the magazine, means to engage the envelopes by the flaps and elevate them to the said platform, a moistening device located below the platform, means to lower the platform whereby the flap is brought into operative engagement with the moistening device, means to elevate the platform, a pair of presser plates, means to force the envelope from the platform to the presser plates to seal the flap and means to discharge the envelope therefrom.

3. An envelope sealing machine comprising in combination a magazine adapted to feed envelopes on their lower edge with the flaps extending forwardly of each envelope, a tilting platform above the magazine, a rotary arm having means to engage each envelope by its flap and lift the envelope to the platform, a roller moistening device positioned below the platform, means to tilt the platform downwardly bringing the flap into contact with the moistening roller, means to elevate the platform, a sealing device comprising a pair of oppositely positioned pivotally mounted presser plates, means on said rotary arm to force an envelope off the tilting platform to the sealing device and means to cause a discharge of the envelope therefrom.

t. An envelope sealing machine as claimed in claim 8, in which the rotary arm has a swivelling tongue extending laterally therefrom adapted to engage the envelope flaps, a cam to control the movement of said tongue and a second tongue to operate the discharge of envelopes and the cam to control the said second tongue.

5. An envelope sealing machine, comprising a moistening device, an envelope supply magazine, an envelope receiving platform mounted for movement, means for moving a single envelope from said magazine and.

conveying the same to said platform, gripping means for maintaining the envelope on said platform, means for actuating the platform to move the envelope toward said moistening device, means coacting with the envelope conveying means for completely opening the flap of said envelope so that the latter is engaged by the moistening device, means for returning the platform to normal position and for simultaneously releasing the envelope and allowing the flap to return to folded position, and means for pressing the flap of the envelope to closed position after such release.

6. An envelope sealing machine, comprising a movable platform to which envelopes are adapted to be singly delivered, a moistening device, envelope gripping means for maintaining the envelope on said platform, means for actuating the platform to move the envelope toward and away from the moistening device, means for opening the flap of said envelope as the latter is moved toward the moistening device so that the device effects moistening of the flap, and means for receiving the envelope and pressing the flap to closed position.

ing a moistening device, an envelope supply magazine, a platform movable away from and toward the moistening device, rotary means for successively carrying a single envelope from said magazine and depositing same on said platform, gripping means for maintaining the envelope on said platform, means coacting with the rotary means for opening the'flap of said envelope so that when the platform moves toward said moistening device a moistening of the flap is effected, means for actuating gripping means for releasing the envelope, and means for receiving and pressing the envelope to effect the sealing of the flap.

8. An envelope sealing machine, comprising a moistening device, a platform movable toward and away from the moisten ng device, an envelope supply magazine, a grip ping device mounted for rotary movement, means for actuating the device to cause the same to engage a single envelope in the magazine by its flap and carry the same to said platform, means for maintaining the envelope on said platform, means for ac tuating rotary gripping means for opening the flap of said envelope so that when the platform moves toward the moistening device, the flap will be moistened, and means for receiving and pressing the flap to seal the envelope when the envelope is removed from said platform.

9. An envelope sealing machine, compris in g a moistening device, a platform movable toward and away from the moistening deA vice, an envelope supply magazine, an envelope carrying device movable to engage and carry an envelope from the magazine to said platform, means for temporarily maintaining the envelope on said platform, means coacting with the envelope carrying means to open the flap of said envelope, means for receiving and pressing the flap of said envelope, and means carried by the envelope carrying means for forcing an envelope from said platform to said pressing means.

10. In an envelope sealing machine, a tilting platform adapted to support an envelope with the flap extending forwardly therefrom,a moistening roller positioned below the platform, means to tilt the platform to bring the flap into engagement with the moistening roller, means to press the flap against the roller whereby the roller moistens the flap, means to elevate the platform and means to seal the moistened flap.

11. An envelope sealing 1nach1ne,comprising an envelope supply magazine, an envelope receiving magazine, a moistening device, a platform movable toward and away from said moistening device, means for successively removing an envelope from the supply magazine and delivering the same to said platform, means for actuating the platform after a single envelope has been deposited thereon to cause the flap thereof to be moistened by saiddevice, means coactingwith the first means for opening the flap of the envelope so that the latter will be moistened by said device, envelope pressing means arranged above the envelope receiving magazine so that when said means is in release position the envelope will gravitate into the magazine, and means carried by the first means for projectingan envelope from the platform to said pressing means.

12. An envelope sealing machine comprising in combination a magazine adapted to feed envelopes on their lower edge with the flaps extending forwardly, a tilting platform supported above the magazine secured to a shaft at one side thereof, a rotary arm having a pivotally mounted lifting tongue on the end adapted to engage the projecting flaps, a track-like cam controlling the motion of the lifting tongue to lift the envelopes on to the platform, a moistening roller below the platform, means to tilt the shaft and lower the platform adapted to bring the flaps into engagement, with the roller the flap being guided by the lifting tongue, said latter being controlled by a second cam track during this phase of the operation, a second tongue pivotally mounted on the end of the rotary arm and controlled by an arcuate track to disengage the said tongues one from the other and springs controlling the action of the tongues to swing them together to grip the flaps on both sides thereof, said second tongue being constructed and shaped to force an envelope off the platform after said platform has returned to its orig-' inal position into a sealing device.

13. An envelope sealing machine as claimed in claim 12 having inaddition a sealing device having a stationary plate and a pair of presser plates with operative shafts on opposite sides of the said plate whereby the free ends of the presser plates swing towards eachother and towards their rcspective shafts,

In testimony whereof I have name to this specification.

' JOSIAH H. BYERLEY.

signed my 

